Reviews with content warning for Blood - L'attrape-coeurs by Jerome David Salinger

Reviews tagging 'Blood'

L'attrape-coeurs by Jerome David Salinger by J.D. Salinger, J.D. Salinger

64 reviews

kikwiqu's review against another edition

3.5

adventurous challenging emotional slow-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: No

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: No

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

The first 2/3 of the book kind of sucked IMHO. It only seemed to get interesting around page 200. I really dislike the main character. His attitude is depressing and childish, like he's a little basic rich kid pretending to be a cool unique brooding adult. He is a very immature boy trying to seem mature to himself and everyone around him. I think that's the point of the book. I think you're supposed to be a bit annoyed with him, that he's got all these issues.

He wants to be the catcher in the rye saving other kids, but he only ever saves himself - even though he mentally could care less if he died or not. He doesn't seem to care much about others unless it directly concerns him and he is very uncomfortable with being "like the others" or letting anyone get close to him. I think it stems from his trauma concerning his brother's death and the suicide he witnessed. He is extremely afraid of being hurt again.

A very troubled child.

It was pretty sad to read, honestly.

I think the only light in his life was his little sister. He seemed to care about her so much, much more than himself. At least he was aware of his immaturity, but he liked lying to himself. He was extremely critical of everyone he met, probably due to his own insecurity. He is very alienated from society, but due to his own preconceptions about other people. It left me hoping that this kid would hopefully get better after the events of the book, but unsure if he even had the drive for it.

Content Warnings

megelizabeth's review against another edition

4.0

adventurous emotional funny sad medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

"I have a feeling that you’re riding for some kind of a terrible, terrible fall."

I'm about a million years late to the party on this one, but for what it's worth I enjoyed it a lot more than I expected to (and I'm definitely a Holden Caulfield apologist and I also don't think that makes me toxic). I particularly really loved the way it explores sibling relationships, which wasn't something I was aware of going in so was a pleasant surprise. I did find the ending a bit anticlimactic, but had a good time with the story overall and did appreciate what the ending was doing.

There are definitely some valid criticisms to be made of this book, especially around its instances of misogyny, but for the most part I actually found it to hold up really well. It's just an absolutely timeless portrayal of teenage angst and existentialism (groundbreaking commentary I know - not sure this really still needs reviewing but here we are!).

Content Warnings

blackicerose's review against another edition

3.0

funny reflective medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: No

Loveable characters: No

Diverse cast of characters: Complicated

Flaws of characters a main focus: Complicated

I enjoyed the first quarter of the book, I found Holden's observations quite funny. After that I didn't really enjoy the book and it was a drag to get through it. Holden's observations about the world and the people in it continue throughout the book, but his whining gets very hard to listen to after a while. There's no real plot and nothing really happens.

Content Warnings

logalexdavid's review against another edition

3.75

emotional reflective sad slow-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: No

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: No

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

It was slow and quite depressing, but it somehow kept me coming back for more.

Content Warnings

emmafrohn_22's review against another edition

5.0

dark emotional funny reflective sad medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: No

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

Content Warnings

red_tethering's review against another edition

4.0

challenging emotional inspiring sad medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: No

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

Content Warnings

scs033's review against another edition

4.0

adventurous lighthearted reflective slow-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: No

Loveable characters: No

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

Content Warnings

olive_ia's review against another edition

3.5

funny reflective sad medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: No

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

Content Warnings

gentle_garbage_baby's review against another edition

4.5

emotional funny reflective fast-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: No

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

Loved this. I feel like Holden has a lot of feelings but he’s also a shitty kid who’s trying to be cool so it’s really quite funny. A really interesting character. Particularly love

his relationship with Phoebe, you can see he cares about her so much and it’s heartening to read

. The book certainly is a product of its time with some of the language used in it however.

Content Warnings

princxporkchop's review against another edition

3.75

dark funny reflective sad medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Complicated

Loveable characters: No

Diverse cast of characters: No

Flaws of characters a main focus: Complicated

Incredibly impressed by the skill it takes to create a first person POV with such a strong and consistent voice throughout an entire novel. I’m surprised at how much I enjoyed this teenager’s melancholic ramblings, but sometimes the classics are classics for a reason.

Content Warnings

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